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ENV3103 Environmental Pollution

Semester 2, 2020 Online
Short Description: Environmental Pollution
Units : 1
Faculty or Section : Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences
School or Department : School of Civil Engineering and Surveying
Student contribution band : Band 2
ASCED code : 039901 - Environmental Engineering
Grading basis : Graded

Staffing

Examiner:

Requisites

Pre-requisite: ENV2105 and ENV2103 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or METC or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS or GEPR

Rationale

This course builds on fundamentals established in ENV2105 Applied Chemistry and Microbiology and ENV2103 Hydraulics I to introduce students to the nature and characteristics of environmental pollution. Engineering solutions to environmental pollution are taught in the subsequent courses ENV4204 Environmental Technology and ENV4205 Water and Wastewater Treatment.

Synopsis

The purpose of this course is to allow students to develop an understanding of how the sources and environmental effects of pollutants are conceptualised, modelled and monitored. Air, water and soil pollution issues are covered in addition to noise and odour. Conceptual models of key pollutant processes, transformations and interactions are introduced, leading to the development of numerical models. These models are applied to evaluate the potential impacts of pollutant discharges, as guided by current environmental legislation.

Objectives

On successful completion of this course students should be able to:

  1. Describe, measure and estimate point source and non-point source pollutants
  2. Apply fundamental principles to develop conceptual models of pollutant mobility and fate in the receiving environment
  3. Develop and apply a range of predictive models associated with air, water, soil, noise and odour issues
  4. Outline the current legislation framework that regulates environmental pollution
  5. Plan and evaluate a basic environmental monitoring program including statistical analysis and assessment of environmental effects

Topics

Description Weighting(%)
1. Sources of pollution 5.00
2. Fundamental principles and conceptual models of pollution 15.00
3. Environmental pollution legislation 10.00
4. Models to predict point source and non-point source pollutant loads 10.00
5. Models to predict near field and far field water quality in receiving waters 20.00
6. Models to predict soil and groundwater contamination 10.00
7. Air, noise and odour models 10.00
8. Monitoring programs to evaluate environmental pollution 10.00
9. Data analysis of environmental monitoring programs 10.00

Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed

ALL textbooks and materials available to be purchased can be sourced from (unless otherwise stated). (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/textbooks/?year=2020&sem=02&subject1=ENV3103)

Please for alternative purchase options from USQ Bookshop. (https://omnia.usq.edu.au/info/contact/)

Davis, M. L. and Cornwell, D. A 2013, Introduction to Environmental Engineering, 5th edn, McGrawhill.
A scientific calculator which is non-programmable, that does not hold textual information and cannot display graphs.

Reference materials

Reference materials are materials that, if accessed by students, may improve their knowledge and understanding of the material in the course and enrich their learning experience.
Dunnivant, FM and Anders, E 2006, A basic introduction to pollutant fate and transport: an integrated approach with chemistry, modelling, risk assessment and environmental legislation, Wiley, New York.

Student workload expectations

Activity Hours
Assessments 40.00
Directed ¾«¶«´«Ã½app 52.00
Private ¾«¶«´«Ã½app 63.00

Assessment details

Description Marks out of Wtg (%) Due Date Objectives Assessed Notes
Online Quiz 1 50 5 03 Aug 2020 1,2
Online Quiz 2 100 10 24 Aug 2020 1,2,3
Assignment 250 25 06 Oct 2020 1,2,3
Online Exam 600 60 End S2 1,2,3,4,5 (see note 1)

Notes
  1. This will be an open examination. Students will be provided further instruction regarding the exam by their course examiner via ¾«¶«´«Ã½appDesk. The examination date will be available via UConnect when the official Alternate Assessment Schedule has been released.

Important assessment information

  1. Attendance requirements:
    It is the students' responsibility to attend and participate appropriately in all activities scheduled for them, and to study all material provided to them or required to be accessed by them, to maximise their chance of meeting the objectives of the course and to be informed of course-related activities and administration.

  2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
    To satisfactorily complete an individual assessment item a student must achieve at least 50% of the marks for that item.

  3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
    Students should refer to the Assessment Procedure (point 4.2.4)

  4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S2 2020 are:
    To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must achieve at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course.

    Requirements after S2 2020:
    To be assured of receiving a passing grade a student must obtain at least 50% of the total weighted marks available for the course (i.e. the Primary Hurdle), and have satisfied the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised), i.e. the end of semester examination by achieving at least 40% of the weighted marks available for that assessment item.

    Supplementary assessment may be offered where a student has undertaken all of the required summative assessment items and has passed the Primary Hurdle but failed to satisfy the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised), or has satisfied the Secondary Hurdle (Supervised) but failed to achieve a passing Final Grade by 5% or less of the total weighted Marks.

    To be awarded a passing grade for a supplementary assessment item (if applicable), a student must achieve at least 50% of the available marks for the supplementary assessment item as per the Assessment Procedure (point 4.4.2).

  5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
    The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the aggregate of the weighted marks obtained for each of the summative items for the course.

  6. Examination information:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S2 2020 are:
    An Open Examination is one in which candidates may have access to any printed or written material and a calculator during the examination.

    Requirements after S2 2020:
    RESTRICTED: Candidates are allowed access only to specific materials during a Restricted Examination. The only materials that candidates may use in the restricted examination for this course are:
    1. writing materials (non-electronic and free from material which could give the student an unfair advantage in the examination);
    2. calculators which cannot hold textual information
    3. Students whose first language is not English, may, take an appropriate unmarked non electronic translation dictionary (but not technical dictionary) into the examination.
    4. Dictionaries with any handwritten notes will not be permitted. Translation dictionaries will be subject to perusal and may be removed from the candidate's possession until appropriate disciplinary action is completed if found to contain material that could give the candidate an unfair advantage.


  7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
    Due to COVID-19 the requirements for S2 2020 are:
    The details regarding deferred/supplementary examinations will be communicated at a later date.

    Requirements after S2 2020:
    Any Deferred or Supplementary examinations for this course will be held during the next examination period.

  8. ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Student Policies:
    Students should read the USQ policies: Definitions, Assessment and Student Academic Misconduct to avoid actions which might contravene ¾«¶«´«Ã½app policies and practices. These policies can be found at .

Assessment notes

  1. Students must familiarise themselves with the USQ Assessment Procedures (.

  2. Referencing in Assignments must comply with the Harvard (AGPS) referencing system. This system should be used by students to format details of the information sources they have cited in their work. The Harvard (APGS) style to be used is defined by the USQ library’s referencing guide. These policies can be found at

Evaluation and benchmarking

In meeting the ¾«¶«´«Ã½app’s aims to establish quality learning and teaching for all programs, this course monitors and ensures quality assurance and improvements in at least two ways. This course:
• conforms to the USQ Policy on Evaluation of Teaching, Courses and Programs to ensure ongoing monitoring and systematic improvement.
• forms part of the Bachelor of Engineering Honours program and is benchmarked against the professional accreditation standards of Engineers Australia

Other requirements

  1. Computer, e-mail and Internet access:
    Students are required to have access to a personal computer, e-mail capabilities and Internet access to UConnect. Current details of computer requirements can be found at .

  2. Students will require reliable and regular access to email and Internet for communication, (desirable) video conferencing, and for access to UConnect for this course.

  3. Students are required to have access to EXCEL spreadsheet software

Date printed 6 November 2020